Electric plug



Oct. 27, 1931. WALKER 1,829,692

ELECTRIC PLUG Filed Dec. 10, 193 0 V/ym@ (f I I dm; m3

Patented Oct. 27, I 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE A LAWRENCE D. WALKER, OF PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND, ASSGNOB GOLLYER IN'- SULATED WIRE CO., A CORPORATION 0F RHODE I SLAND ELECTRIC PLUG vApplication med December 10, 1930. Serial No. 501,388.

This invention relates to improvements in electricalplu sand the invention comprises a tubular flexi le member having an enlarged portion at one end in which is adapted to be molded male contact members. The invention further comprisesV a flexible thimble formed of a resilient material such as rubber or the like having the open end smaller than the closed end whereby the thimble may be frictionally held on the flexible tubular member and the male contact members carried thereby may extend through openings or slots Jformed in the closed end of the thimble.

Heretofore, it has been common practice to form male members of two part or floor plugs from hard rubber or other rigid material and these devices are usually formed in one piece in a manner Acausing diiiculty when assembling or attaching the wires to the male contact members.

The above practice is vobjectionable due to the fact that the parts are not renewable and considerable time is consumed while removing the contact plugs froml the cable upon which it is used which frequentlyresults lin breakage of parts.

The above objections and disadvantages are overcome by providing a device of the above mentioned character in which the male contact members are embedded in a tubular iiexible element formed preferably of rubber which are encased by a thimble of a similar iiexible material and frictional engagement between the flexible tubular element and the flexible thimble is provided for retaining the parts in their assembled position.

Other objects and advantages of the invention, will become apparent during the course of the following description, forming a part of the specication and in which,

Figure 1 represents a to elevational view illustrating the contour o the flexible tubular element and thimble;

Figure 2 is a vertical side elevation of the invention illustrating the male contacting members protruding from the flexible encasing thimble;

Figure 3 is a bottom elevation illustrating the slots through which project the male Figure 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on line 5 5 of lFigure 2 looking in the dlrection of the arrows and taken at right angles to the cross-section illustrated in Fig'-,

ure 4:, illustrating the manner in which the flexible tubular element and the flexible thimble are held together by frictional engagement and the manner in which the downward movement of the tubular element relative to the thimble is limited;

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the invention illustrating the parts in their unassembled position and showing further the manner in which the male contact members are embedded orcarried by the lower en- 1arged portion of the tubular flexible element.

.In the drawings, wherein is illustrated a preferred embodimentof the invention and wherein like reference characters will be employed to designate like parts throughout the same, the reference character 5 will generally be employed to designate a tubular member formed preferably of flexible rubber having a central bore 6 for passage of the electric cables or wires. One end of the flexible tubular member 5 is rounded and finished as at 7 while the opposite end is enlarged as at 8 having a bevelled portion 9 connecting the in suitable openings adjacent the embedded end and it is supposed to anchor the ends of the cable or wires through the screws 12 for making a contact with the male members 10.

A flexible thimble 13 is adapted to enclose and confine the major portion of each of the male contact members 10 whereby the connections to the screws 12 will be unobservable to produce a neat and compa'ct structure. The exible thimble 13 maybe formed of a resilient material such as rubber and it is provided with a central recess 14 across which extends a vertical connecting rib 15 connecting the sides or walls of the thimble 13 for preventing sparkingbetween the 'contact plugs 10, or screws 12. It will be noted that the walls of the fiexible thimble 13 taper towards the open end as at 16 and the o posite end of the thimble 13 is closed by a iskshaped member 17 formed integral with the side walls of the thimble13. The lower wall 17 may be recessed as at 18 thereby providing an annular fiange 19 at the outer periphery thereof. It will also be noted that the flexible thimble 13 is of a conical formation tapering from the closed end 17 to the open end 16 whereby the thimble may be frictionally held upon the enlarged portions 8 and 9 of the tubular element 5.

A milled portion 20 may be formed on the lower portion of the iiexible thimble 13 to present a finished appearance to the article and to provide a neater construction.

Slotted openings 21 are provided in the bottom wall 17 of the flexible thimble 13 for re'ceiving the free ends of the male contact members 10 whereby they will protrude or project therefrom providing suitable contact members for being received in the female socket member or wall socket.

For a consideration of the operation of the device, attention is directed to Figure 6, wherein are shown the parts in their unassembled position and it is proposed to pass the cable or wire through the bore 6 in order that the free end thereof may be anchored to the contact screws 12, providing a rigid connection of the wires with the male contact plug members 10. After the wire or cable is anchored in position, the flexible thimble 13 may be slipped over the contact members 10 in such a manner as to allow them to register and project through the slotted openings 21 in the base 17 of the thimble. The thimble 13 is further moved upwardly until the open end 16 is threaded on the enlarged portion 8 of the tubular member 5, whereby the two parts will be frictionally held together and removal of the iexible thimble 13 will be extremely diicult.

It is to be understood, that the form of the A invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as the preferred embodiment of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit, of the invention or the scope of the sub-joined claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A contact device of the character described, comprising a flexible tubular element, a central bore formed in the flexible tubular element, a pair of male Contact members embedded in one end of the flexible tubular element, and a thimble formed of a similar material frictionally held to one end of the tubular member whereby the contact members may project. through openings in the closed end of the' thimble.v

2. A contact plug of the character described, comprising an elongated flexible tubular element, a pair of male contact members embedded in one end of the tubular member, a fiexible thimble iexibly.- held on the elongated tubular element, whereby the malecontact members embedded in the elongated tubular element may project through the closed end of the flexiblethimble.

3. An electrical plug of the character described, comprising an elongated tubular element formed of flexible material, one end of said tubular element being enlarged, a pair of male contact members embedded in the enlarged portion of the tubular element, and a flexible thimble threaded upon the male contact members whereby the open end of the thimble may be frictionally held in engagement with the enlarged portion of the tubular element.

4. An electrical plug of the character described, comprising an elongated tubular element having one of'its ends enlarged, a pair of contact members having one of their ends embedded in the enlarged portions in opposite relation therein, a flexible thimble having openings in its closed end for receiving the male cont-act members and the two parts being held in assembled position by frictional contact between the upper portion-of lthe an. elongated tubular element formed of a flexible material having an enlarged portion at one end, a pair of male contact members having one of their ends embedded in the enlarged portion of the flexible tubular element, a thimble threaded on the male con tact members and frictional means. for holding the thimble on the enlarged portion of the elongated tubular element.

7. An electrical contact plug of the character described, comprising an elongated rubber tubular element, an enlarged portion formed on one end of the elongated rubber tubular element, a pair of metallic contact members embedded in the enlarged portion of the rubber tubular element, a thimble having a central opening adapted to be threaded on the male Contact member, said opening being of a smaller diameter than the enlarged portion of the tubular element,'whereby the two parts may be held together by frictional contact, and means for limiting the downward movement of the tubular element Within the thimble.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

LAWRENCE D. WALKER. 

